Rise of Galactic: Conquest of Hoenn
by Ace2X
Summary: After overthrowing the Sinnoh government, Team Galactic unleashes a devastating attempt to conquer Hoenn, its chief enemy. With Ash and the rest thrown within the midst of the conflict, can they survive in one piece? Pearlshipping and Hoennshipping.
1. Fall of Slateport

**The story up to now:**

**After securing second place in the Sinnoh Championships, Ash decided to venture into the new Isshu region. He was accompanied by Iris and Brock, where he managed to win the Isshu league. Due to this, Ash qualified for the championship league of his choice. Ash chose to pursue the title of Hoenn Champion. But, before starting his journey into the Hoenn region to earn the eight**_**Champion League **_**badges, Ash decided to take a month long break in the port city of Slateport. He was accompanied by Dawn (who wanted to participate in the Hoenn contests), and Brock. They met up with May in Slateport, who had just managed to secure second place in the Sinnoh Grand Festival (after securing third place in the Johto festival). The story begins featuring the day after their arrival at Slateport.**

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* * *

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**Recent Global News:**

_**Two years ago: Extremist group, Team Galatic, experienced a resurge under a new leader and captured the Sinnoh Region capital. The coup organized by Galatic managed to overthrow the Sinnoh's democratic government. Negotiations are under way between the Galatic-ruled Sinnoh and the other regions.**_

_**Eighteen months ago: Isshu declared war on Sinnoh and sent in forces to overthrow the Galatic controlled government.**_

_**Ten months ago: The Isshu invasion turned out to be a complete failure. Isshu lost some of its most northern regions to Sinnoh.**_

_**Eight months ago: Sinnoh completely fell under Galatic rule as internal resistance eventually faded. Orre joined Sinnoh as an ally after being assured the fact that Sinnoh's resistance was well controlled.**_

_**Six months ago: Sinnoh invaded and captured the Sevii Islands and Naval Rock. Outrage at Sinnoh's venture prove futile as Sinnoh's empire began expanding.**_

_**Two months ago: Hoenn, Johto and Kanto formed the Tri-Alliance to resist expansion of the Galatic ruled Sinnoh region. The Tri-Alliance cut all diplomatic ties with Sinnoh. The Tri-Alliance declared war on Orre, too.**_

_**

* * *

**_

**(Narrator intro) **The day was simply perfect for relaxation. The blazing sun was perched high in the sky, which warmed up the atmosphere, and made it congenial for beach-goers. Luckily, for our heroes, that is exactly what they were planning to do. **(End intro)**

"That's wonderful, Iris! So, I see that you have gotten your first Kanto ribbon?" said Ash, as he peered into the video phone.

"hahaha, yea, the match was simply great, Ash! My opponent could not stand a chance!" grinned a girl back at him, her hair taking up most of the screen.

"I see that you have made a complete recovery after your loss at the Isshu grand festival!" remarked Ash as he posed a victory sign.

"Well, of course! After your encouragement, how couldn't I? Well, enough of me, what are your plans for the Hoenn championship?" Iris asked back.

"Well…I've got plenty of time. A full year to be exact. I just need to re-challenge the gym leaders of Hoenn and get the Champion League badges. But the thing is that, I can only bring two old pokemon into the challenge. I need to catch and raise four more. So, I've decided to go with Pikachu and Dragonair." replied Ash.

"Ahh, I see. Well, in any case, I'll talk to you later. I need to go through Viridian forest before night fall."

"Well, alright, be careful. I'll see you next time!"

"See you!"

With that, the video phone went blank as Ash placed the receiver back into the slot. Ash sighted as he looked down, his fingers still entwined around the receiver.

"Well, I guess she is doing pretty good for herself. I kinda miss her though. She was always so effervescent."

With that, Ash got up and stretched. And right on cue, his stomach began grumbling.

A yellow rodent, dormant up to now, gave an exclaimed "Pika!" as it hopped on to his shoulder.

"Well, Pikachu, I guess it is time to hit the salad bar. I suppose you are going straight for the ketchup?"

The yellow rodent gave Ash a look that screamed, "No, really?"

Ash sweatdropped and began scratching the back of his head, "Just for the record, Pikachu, no one adds Ketchup to water. It's just…wrong."

Pikachu merely shrugged and hopped off Ash's shoulder. It took off towards the salad bar, salivating uncontrollably.

* * *

**Slateport Harbor: S.H.P.D. Defense Agency - City interior**

Sixteen blimps began appearing in the radars of the S.H.P.D. (Slateport Harbor Police Dept.) headquarters.

The man in-charge of monitoring the radar bolted up from his seat and stared at the LCD screen before him. He grabbed the microphone next to him, which bore the Hoenn insignia, and began talking hurriedly into it,

"**Sir! Sixteen unidentified aircrafts have infiltrated the air space of Slateport Harbor. There is a chance they might be hostiles. Immediate response requested. Over."**

After a brief pause, a voice began replying,

"**Understood. Slateport Harbor's outposts have confirmed that the approaching planes are armed and are hostile. The hostiles have took out two of our six outposts north of Slateport. I want half of our fleet on the case now. We need them shot down before the populace is endangered."**

The man hesitated before replying back,

"**Understood. Over and out."**

**

* * *

**

**Hoenn Air Force: Slateport base**

A siren began blaring at the Air Force base as people hurriedly rushed back and forth. Plane after plane took off as mechanics frantically prepared the defending force.

The general of the Slateport division was having a heated discussion with the East Hoenn Divison commander.

"General! I want answers! What is happening?" a gruff voice demanded from the video phone.

"Sir! We are being attacked by an unknown faction. We are not taking fire, yet, but the hostiles appear armed. However, sir, we have lost four of our defense outposts to the hostiles."

"Damn idiots. General! I want to know the identity of the hostiles. Slateport is the jewel of the Hoenn nation. We cannot lose it. This is even more critical if the hostiles belong to Sinnoh. If Galatic takes Slateport, then it is merely a matter of time before Hoenn falls. Prepare to defend it with your life. Over and out."

The image on the video phone turned to black as the general heaved a sigh of relief. A suited man approached him and saluted.

"Sir! We have scrambled the Alpha Defenders. We have sent twenty wings, exactly half of our fleet. The rest are warmed up and are parked at the North Slateport base. Interception expected in three and half minutes."

"Good. Sound the air raid siren. The hostiles have gotten too close to the harbor for the populace to remain oblivious. Might as well keep them on the lookout."

The man nodded and rushed off.

Suddenly, the door behind the general flew open and another man rushed up to him,

"Sir! The East Slateport outposts have confirmed that tank and infantry units are approaching city limits. We are facing a full scale invasion. We are yet to determine the faction responsible. We also suspect a possible artillery strike. And sir…we are also facing the possibility of a naval attack since two of Kanto's merchant ships, near our harbor, were sunk by armed warships."

The general's face grew pale, "What the hell! I want the entire Slateport army to intercept the incoming tanks. Send out the naval fleet to intercept the warships. We need to end this invasion before we bear civilian casualties."

The man nodded and saluted before marching off. The general buried his face into his hands and collapsed onto a chair.

"This is the end of Hoenn…"

* * *

After getting some food from the snack bar, Ash went out into the beach and located his friends.

"Hey Ash, how's Iris doing?" said Brock as he turned to face him.

"She's doing great! She has gotten her first Kanto ribbon. Apparently, the Pallet contest was too easy for her."

"Huh? So, Pallet has a contest now?" said Dawn as she arched an eyebrow at Ash.

"Yeah, Pallet City has really developed. It nearly rivals Vermillion." Said Ash as he took a massive bite out of his chocolate, his cheeks bulging. This earned a giggle from Dawn as she stared at him.

"Wuf ar yeu loking at?" said Ash, his mouth full.

"Nothing. I'm just a little amused at your manners, Ash. But, whatever." Said Dawn as she leaned back into the sand, her hair flowing behind her.

Suddenly, a yellow steak jumped onto Ash's shoulders. Everyone sweatdropped when they saw that Pikachu was holding a water bottle with a red liquid inside.

"Wow, Pikachu, you are still a ketchup addict, huh?" asked May as she began rubbing its cheeks, due to which it began cooing.

"Hey Ash, so, what gym are you going to challenge first?"

"Well…I think that I'll just follow what I did before. I'll just fly from here to Rustboro, and begin my journey there. I have already booked a ferry from here to Rustboro for next month. Any of you guys care to join?"

"Well, me and Dawn are surely coming, how about you May?" asked Brock as he turned to May.

"Well, I do miss travelling with Ash…sure, why not? I heard that there are something called Master contests which are open only for the top coordinators. I guess I should qualify."

"Awesome! This trip is going to be great!" remarked Ash as he leaned back into the sand, shielding his eyes from the intense sunlight. Suddenly, a siren began blaring, severing the serenity of the morning. The siren immediately made everyone cover their ears.

"ASH! That's an air raid siren! We are under attack!" exclaimed Brock as he got up to his feet, the rest of the gang followed suit, each with just as apprehension as the next.

"Air raid? What is that?"

Brock sweatdropped, "Really? You really don't know what that is?"

Dawn quickly stepped in, "Brock, this is no time to comment on Ash's obliviousness"

"HEY!" Ash quickly retorted and crossed his arms.

"Anyway, like I was saying, we need to take cover. The bombs could be dropped anytime!" Brock exclaimed and began packing. Thousands were doing the same thing.

Suddenly, the approaching "V" shaped fleet became visible as waves of gasps rushed through the crowd.

"Hey! There's an air show?" remarked Ash as he looked at the approaching fleet, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

This made everyone within the vicinity sweatdrop, "Really, Ash? Are you trying to be funny or are you just plain stupid?" retorted Dawn as she looked on incredulously.

"ASH! THIS IS AN AIR RAID! NOT AN AIR SHOW! Air raid, as in, bombs will be dropped on your empty head!"

Ash's face was ambivalent. It contained a mixture of shock and anger. He raised his finger and began blathering, "You know…there is a difference between being knowledgeable and being a total jerk."

Dawn merely shook her head and grabbed Ash's arm. She proceeded to drag him away from the beach, followed by the rest, when something caught everyone's attention. Ash's hand fell limp to his sides as he stood there, along with the rest of the beach, gawking at the aerial fight between the Hoenn fleet and the invaders.

Out of the blue, a Hoenn defender was shot down and began plummeting. The pilot safely ejected but the cascading scraps posed a great threat to the populace below it.

Brock broke the group's shock by shouting, "GUYS! WE NEED TO TAKE COVER!"

Everyone nodded and began running towards the city, where they hoped to secure a place in one of the bunkers. But before they could advance, the all too familiar gleam of the metallic bombs was visible above head. The bomb detonated about a mile from where Ash and the gang were. The resulting explosion tore through flesh and steel as buildings and people alike were blown apart. The group careened and halted immediately. Rushing into the city was no longer a good idea. Dawn, however, found something that everyone else, in their hurry, seemed to miss.

"Guys! Check out that row boat, we can paddle out of here! We need to get out of the harbor! We will be safe a few miles into the ocean!" yelled Dawn as she began running towards a rusted old boat, which was located about four hundred feet from where they were. Ash and the rest followed suit. They took off, without even giving a glace back, each praying that the group could make it out alive.

* * *

**Hoenn Air Force: Slateport base**

"Sir…we need to surrender. Our forces are wiped out" suggested a man as he stood beside the forlorn general.

"Really? How about the remainder of our air force?" asked the General in a rather brusque tone.

"Sir…we lost the entire fleet when a bomb was dropped on our airfield. Apparently, the Sinnoh fleet had a bearing of the location of our base. We are utterly helpless. Hoenn's capital, Lilycove, has sent us a backup fleet, but it will take at least half an hour before they can get here. How ever…we did identify the perpetrator."

The general's eyes lit up, "Who is it?"

"We have determined that Team Galatic-ruled Sinnoh is the faction that is attacking us."

"How's that good news? Isshu faced utter humiliation after their defeat at the hands of Sinnoh. They even lost some land. We need to counteract with everything we have. If Sinnoh manages to take Slateport, then it is simply a matter of time before the Hoenn region falls."

"Sir, our infantry has been wiped out, and so has our aerial fleet. We are currently attacking the naval vessels of Sinnoh with our fleet, but we have lost nearly four ships while Sinnoh has suffered none. We are utterly helpless. We need to surrender and escape now—"

Before the man could finish talking, a woman with flowing brown hair approached the general. Her face carried such a seriousness that the man and the general immediately fell silent.

"Sir, Galatic admin Anthony wishes to speak to you. He demands an unconditional surrender of Slateport."

The general sighed as he walked up to a massive screen placed at the center of the room. The woman punched some buttons which made the screen black out and turn on. It displayed the face of a man.

"Well, well, well, General Blake, how are you doing?" mocked the voice as the man leaned back into his black leather chair.

"What do you want, Anthony? Why are you attacking us?" replied the general as he clenched his fists, beads of sweat trickled down the sides of his face.

"You perfectly know what I want, Blake. Let's not carry this on. You have suffered enormous civilian casualties…let's not risk anymore lives. Simply withdraw your naval fleet and surrender your city. We will enter the city and occupy it. No more lives need to be lost."

The general gritted his teeth and looked at a monitor to his right. It showed the harbor city of Slateport in an aerial perspective. The carnage made general sick. He finally sighed and looked up at the admin.

"Fine, Anthony. You win…for now. But mark my words, Hoenn will take back her city. Sinnoh will not triumph."

The admin merely smiled, ignoring the last part of the general's speech, "You've made a good decision general. My men will escort the city's officials to the city limits. You are included. Sinnoh's men have arrived at the outskirts. We will occupy the city immediately."

And with that, the screen went black. The general, on the verge of fainting, collapsed on to his seat. His workers stood apprehensively around him, trying to improve his spirit.

The general weakly looked up at the brown haired woman, "Victoria, what have I done?"

* * *

Ash and his friends apprehensively paddled for nearly half an hour and got well beyond the danger zone. Fortunately, the Sinnoh blockade was too preoccupied with taking the city that they failed to notice the small boat breaching the blockade.

"Ash, what do you think just happened?" asked May as she began leaned back, her chest rising and falling frantically, due to exhaustion.

"How should I know?" asked Ash as he began rubbing Pikachu's head. Apparently, due to the excitement, Pikachu had fallen asleep.

"Guys, I think we should contact Professor Oak. He'll know what to do." Said Brock as he turned his Pokegear on. A small menu appeared, and Brock scrolled down and located Oak's name. He immediately handed Ash the pokegear.

"I think it's better if you talk to him."

Ash nodded and waited for a while. Suddenly, Gary's face appeared on the screen. Immediately upon seeing Ash, his face lit up,

"Well, well, Ashy boy is still alive, huh?"

Suddenly, behind him, there was a flurry of motion and Gary was shoved aside. Delia Ketchum's face appeared on screen.

"ASH! I'm so glad you're alright. I was so worried!"

"Mom! No need to worry, we're safe. We're about two miles off of Slateport's harbor. We found an abandoned row boat and used it to slip through the blockade. But, mom, do you know what is going on?"

Delia nodded solemnly, "It's all over the news. Here, Samuel will explain it to you."

Oak appeared, "Ash, you do know about Galatic's coup about a few years ago, right? And how Galatic now controls the Sinnoh government?"

Ash nodded in response. Oak cleared his throat and continued,

"Apparently, Sinnoh has decided to begin the invasion of Hoenn. The surrender of Slateport has been televised world-wide. Sinnoh has set foot into the Hoenn continent."

The groups eyes widened as Dawn began lowering her head. She was a Sinnoh citizen after all.

Brock smiled knowingly as he patted Dawn on the back, "It's alright, Dawn."

Oak continued, "Apparently, the Sinnoh forces conquered Four Island and launched the invasion of the mainland from there. You need to get out of Slateport and come back to Pallet. Hoenn is no longer safe. Apparently, another invasion force has left Gateon Port, in the Orre region, and is now heading for Lilycove City. Don't do anything stupid, like trying the save the world by yourself. Listen to me, get back to Pallet NOW! Somehow get to Ever Grande, and from there, take a ferry to Cianwood City. From Cianwood, take an Air Kanto flight to Viridian City. Pallet town should be a short walk from there." Oak advised, and after seeing Ash's curt nod, cut the phone call.

Ask looked up to meet six wide eyes.

"Wait…Oak did not say anything about Petulburg City, did he? My dad will be the first target since he is gym leader." asked May apprehensively as her hands began shaking, unshed tears making her eyes glossy.

"No…don't worry, May. Petulburg City might be near water, but the invasion forces have to cross Rustboro to get there. Now, we need to focus. Let's call out our water pokemon so that they can propel us to Ever Grande." Ash said as he threw out Dragonair's pokeball.

The majestic dragon-type roared as it materialized before them.

"You know, Ash, I still can't believe that you caught a Dragonair. That's just plain crazy." Brock chuckled as he threw out Swampert's pokeball. (**A/N: Remember? He had a Mudkip back in the Hoenn adventures).** Ash simply ignored the comment, mostly because he knew it was true.

"Although…it would have been better if we had dressed more appropriately" remarked Dawn. Since they were lazing at the beach, they wore nothing but the swim suits and trunks that they had adorned when they entered the beach that morning.

"Ehh…that could be a problem when we try to board the ferry. Although I'm sure we can buy some clothes in some store"

"There is another problem, Ash" Brock interrupted as he waved his hand, "Did you forget? All that we have is our swim gear. ALL that we have."

"What's your point?"

Brock sweatdropped, "My point is that, we have no money for the transaction."

The group groaned simultaneously. Suddenly, May's face brightened.

"Brock, hurry! Give me your Pokegear!"

Brock acquiesced, and handed her the device. She located the device's current position using GPS locating, and placed the destination to Littleroot town.

"Guys! Littleroot is closer than Ever Grande! We should head there immediately. I know someone who can help us." May beamed as she bequeathed the Pokegear to Brock.

"I guess it couldn't hurt. After all, the ferry in which Ash came to Hoenn, back in the day, still runs." Brock reasoned as he continued to stare into the small device.

Ash nodded and with Brock, instructed the pokemon to change their course. Brock looked up, "So, at the current pace, it should take us about three hours to reach Littleroot. It's pretty close by."

Ash nodded and looked up,_ I guess this is the end of our vacation._

_

* * *

_

The general and his staff were handcuffed and escorted to a helicopter. A gleaming golden "G" was emblazoned on its side, standing in stark contrast to the pitch black background.

The armed guards at their sides beckoned them to board the vessel. The general was forced to meet the demands. The vessel took off as the general gingerly looked out at his fallen city. Utter pandemonium would be an understatement to describe the condition of the city. Smoke billowed out of nearly every building as people ran screaming in every direction. The invasion infantry, or at lease what was left of it, had reached the city. The once glorious Slateport, the jewel of the Hoenn, had transformed into a heap of rubble. Suddenly, a hand was placed on his shoulder. He looked up to meet the warm brown eyes of his secretary, Victoria. Although she was handcuffed, she was still able to console him.

"Please, general, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself."

The general smiled, "Thank you, Victoria. I simply don't know what to do now."

"I talked with the pilot. He was a nice guy. He said that he was commanded to drop us at the Lilycove North outpost. It's about 50 miles from the city."

The general sighted, "It's going to be a long flight then."

* * *

**After three hours of constant sailing,**

Land was once again visible to Ash and the group as they reawakened, one by one.

"Guys, wake up, I think I see Littleroot. Thank god for the pokegear's GPS navigation." Said Brock as he rubbed the remaining trace of grogginess from his eyes.

May was the next to awaken, "It was kind of odd sleeping dressed like this. But I was so tired that I managed anyway."

Within a few minutes, the group had hit land.

"Alright, May. You said that you could find someone that could help us?" asked Ash as he un-garrisoned the row boat.

"Yeah, it's an old childhood pal of mine. I lost touch with him after I began my journey, but I know he will recognize me." May's smile faltered a little, _Or at least I hope he will._

Dawn's eyes widened, "So you haven't talked to him in over three years? How are you so sure that he will remember you?"

May simply shrugged and continued walking. Unfortunately, they had hit land at the harbor, and thus, the place was very crowded. Because of this, the group earned a few glances from curious bystanders. After all, who would not stare at a group consisting of four teenagers clad in only their swim gear walking through the city.

"You know…I'm feeling pretty self-conscious right now." mumbled Dawn as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"Don't worry, Dawn, his house should be just on that hill." May pointed to a small hill, on top of which stood a massive mansion-like house. Even from this distance, Ash could tell that who ever lived in the house was someone affluent.

After trudging all the way to the top (and after some self-conscious comments from Dawn that made Ash groan), they finally reached the house.

"I guess this is it. May, since he is your friend, you should ring the bell." requested Brock. May nodded and pressed the pulsating button that was located to the side of the door. The chime from inside could be heard.

"Brendan! Could you get the door?" a voice requested from the inside as May tensed. Footsteps began trudging to the door. A second later, the front door flew open, and standing before them was a boy, about their age, who had a white cap on that added a few feet to his height.

"May?" he asked incredulously as he stared at the girl in front of him.

"Hello, Brendan" May croaked as she felt her throat grow dry.

Brendan's reaction was immediate. He threw his hands around May as he laughed into the hug. Brendan's gesture was returned by May.

After breaking apart, Brendan stared at the rest of the group, "Erm…h-hi, my name is Brendan." He extended his hand to the remaining three. His hand was briefly grasped by each as he/she introduced himself/herself.

"Hi, I'm Ash"

"I'm Brock"

"And, I'm Dawn."

Brendan nodded and turned to May, "Why are you in your swimsuit?"

May blushed as she looked down, "It's a loooooong story. We just need some clothes."

Brendan grinned, "Sure, please come in."

The general and his crew watched as the pilot strapped a parachute bag on to each one of them.

* * *

"So, you're just going to throw us overboard?" the general dryly.

"We have no other choice. We're in Hoenn's territory. We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

The general snorted, "It did not stop you last time."

"A siege is different. I cannot afford getting shot down. Hello, and good bye." The pilot curly replied as he kicked the general out of the vessel. As they were plummeting, the general turned to Victoria,

"I thought you said he was a good guy." he snorted.

* * *

**So, how was it? Please review!**


	2. Hoenn's Hostages

**Recent Global News:**

_**One day ago: Sinnoh entered the Hoenn continent as they succeeded in conquering Slateport. The resistance was immediately put down through the use of deadly force.**_

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* * *

**

The sun was slowly setting on that day as Ash and the rest entered the residence. Ash, Dawn, Brock and May took a seat on the couch as Brendan sat on the loveseat adjacent to them. Soon, Mrs. Birch, Brendan's mother, entered the room with fresh clothes for Ash and his companions. One by one, they changed and took back their seats on the sofa.

Brendan was the first to speak, "So…guys…why were you dressed like that?"

Ash responded, "See, we were actually stuck in Slateport when Sinnoh launched its attack."

Brendan's eyes quickly widened, "Wait, you guys were actually in Slateport during the invasion?"

The group solemnly nodded as they took small sips from their cups.

"So how did you guys escape?"

"See, we found a small row boat near the shore and used it to escape" said Dawn as she smiled inadvertently.

"Wow, so you guys breached the blockade using a _row_ boat? Wow…takes all kinds."

"Yeah, so since we were on the beach just minutes before the invasion, we were dressed in only swim attire." Dawn concluded.

Brendan nodded, "So…what were you guys doing there anyway?"

May, up to then quiet, replied, "See, Ash qualified for the Hoenn champion league. So, he wanted to travel through Hoenn to earn the eight champion league badges, and we decided to join him. But before starting our journey, we decided to take a small month-long break in Slateport."

Brendan's grin widened, "So you're going to challenge the champion league, eh?"

Ash nodded as he placed his cup down, then wiping his mouth on the tissue provided, he replied, "Yeah see, I have to re-earn the Hoenn badges and then challenge the Elite Four. After beating them, I can challenge the champion for the title."

"Well, don't get your hopes up. The champion is really, really difficult."

May stared at Brendan inquisitively, "Hey, Brendan, do you know the champion?"

Brendan leaned back into his chair, a smug grin plastered on his face.

"Well…you could say that. You see, I am _the _Hoenn champion."

* * *

**Lilycove City: Hoenn Central Defense HQ**

"Commander Archer, sir! We have secured Slateport's general, sir. He is waiting outside." A man with a brown suit narrated. His jaw was clear cut and he was heavily built.

"Good. Send him in."

The man nodded and exited. The oak doors slammed behind him. Shortly, the massive doors opened again and Blake entered. Upon entrance,

"'morning, Blake. How are you doing?" the Archer asked as he glared at the forlorn man before him.

"Good, sir. Thank you for sending the squad to rescue my team."

"All in a day's work, Blake. Now, tell me. Why did you surrender? Reinforcements were sent to Slateport. Remember, Blake, you can be hanged under the conviction that you are a traitor."

Blake, quite shaken by the drastic change in the commander's demeanor, visibly gulped and replied, "Sir! The only reason why I surrendered is because of the civilian casualties. Nearly twenty thousand people were killed during the siege. Any longer and we would have drastically endangered the remaining populace."

Archer gritted his teeth, "You do realize what predicament you've left Hoenn in, don't you Blake? Since Sinnoh has captured Slateport, ALL OF OUR TRADE ROUTES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED! Our status as the top nation is drastically threatened. Our annual growth rate has drastically fallen."

"But, sir, I had no choice! The populace—"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE BLASTED POPULACE!" Archer thundered as he brought down a fist, "Slateport's entire population can die, for all I care. I only want to city to remain in Hoenn's hands."

Blake jerked up and retorted, "How can you say that? It's my responsibility-"

"—to guard the city," finished Archer, "which you have failed in. You are relieved of all your duties, Blake. You will be placed in military jail for the time being. Thank you and get out."

Two guards stepped out of the shadows and handcuffed Blake. They led him out of the room. Archer fell back into his chair as he stared at the ceiling, "That stupid idiot. A few years in jail will do some good for him."

* * *

"Guys! 'da twerps ar' in the building!" said a cat-like Pokemon which peered into a window of the manor in which Ash and his companions were residing.

"Really? Let me look!" said a blue-haired man as he shoved the cat-like pokemon aside and took its place.

"James, let me see!" mumbled a lady as she, in turn, shoved the man aside.

"You're right! And so is Pikachu! But wait…who's that white haired twerp?"

James sweatdropped, "Err…Jesse, I don't think that he has white hair. That's just his hat."

"Ugh…whatever, James. Do you think that twerp has any good pokemon worth stealing?"

"I think so. So far all of the trainers that the twerps have met have powerful pokemon."

"So, yea, I'm thinking 'dat we 'oughta take them pokemon from 'dat twerp!" said the cat as it began rubbing its chin, formulating a plan.

"I know!" exclaimed Jesse, "huddle up!"

The trio huddled and and began discussing their latest plot that was already doomed to failure.

* * *

It took several seconds before the group could assimilate what Brendan had said. Ash was the first to respond,

"Wait…so you're the Hoenn champion?" he exclaimed incredulously.

Brendan's grin broadened even more as he replied, "Yep! I began my journey at about the same time as May started hers. I managed to earn all eight Hoenn league badges. Due to this, I took the Hoenn league and placed first in my first major tournament."

The group nodded and Brendan continued, "Yeah, so due to my winning of the league, I qualified for the championship league. I retoured Hoenn and re-earned all the eight badges and challenged the Elite four. I emerged victorious!"

May, eyes wide, responded, "That's awesome, Brendan! Why didn't you tell me?"

Brendan arched an eyebrow, "Mainly because you never called. I just assumed you moved on and weren't interested in my acquaintance anymore."

May's face fell, "I'm really sorry, Brendan…I guess I could not keep in touch with you since I was too preoccupied with my coordinating."

Brendan gave a weak smile in return, "It's fine, May. I understand. Let's just move on."

May nodded and walked over to Brendan and brought him into a hug.

After they broke apart, Brendan began talking, "All that remains is to bring Wally here and it'll just be like old times!"

"Wally? Who is that?" Brock asked as he placed his empty cup back onto the table.

"Wally is our childhood friend. Wally, Brendan and I used to be very, very close friends before we went our separate ways." May said as she sat next to Brendan.

"Ahh, I see. Wait, so is Wally a Pokemon trainer too?" asked Dawn.

"Yeah, he is a part of the Elite Four. After I took the title, Wally challenged me but was unable to gain victory. But he was so strong that I decided to make him a part of the Elite Four. He replaced Drake."

May's eyes, for the umpteenth time that day, widened, "So what else are you hiding from me?"

Brendan shrugged his shoulders, "Anyway, give me a moment, I'll have to call Wally."

The group watched as Brendan began trudging to the door while dialing Wally number in his Pokenav.

After Brendan exited the room, Dawn began talking

"Wow…May…you know two Elite Four members?"

* * *

After a while's worth of ringing, Wally picked up his phone. Wally's face appeared on the small screen.

"Brendan, m'boy, how are you doing?"

"Hey, Wally, you'll never guess who came to my house today!"

"Who is it?"

"May."

It took a while for Wally to react, but when he did, a huge grin graced his face as he punched his fist into the air.

"Are you serious?" He replied.

"Yeah, she's over here. Come as quickly as possible."

"Definitely, Brendan! Altaria is dying to see you, anyway. Heh…guess your girlfriend has finally come home, eh Brendan?"

Brendan face-palmed, "Just get over here, Wally."

Wally grinned and nodded, "Alright. I'll be there in five minutes. Altaria should not take long to fly me over there. Bye."

"Alright. See you dude."

Brendan closed the navigator and placed it securely in his pocket. He sighted and reentered his house.

* * *

"If we can pull this off then we can get all of the twerps' pokemon!" said Jesse as she sat onto the center seat in the massive machine that resembled a Seviper.

"But Jesse…if the twerps destroy this we have to go hungry for a month!"

"Quit whining and sit straight. We can eat at the finest banquets for the next year if we manage to pull this off."

"'an naut to menten that we'll get onto the bosses geod side. And then…" said the Meouth

"PROMOTIONS, LUXURY HOTELS AND ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFETS!" finished the trio, their eyes sparking.

"'Ok…lets go get them pokemon!" said the Meouth as it pressed a green gleaming button. Immediately, the Seviper's eyes began glowing red as it began moving towards the house.

* * *

**Lilycove North Outpost (Naval – 20 miles from International Waters)**

"Sir! Our forces have effectively put the invasion forces at bay." a man dressed in an army suit said as he peered into the video phone.

"Very good, Regional Commander Sanjay. Lilycove is safe for now. We need to gather our remaining forces and attack Sinnoh. Kanto has already sent reinforcements to each of the Hoenn cities." Archer said as a small smile danced on his lips.

The man saluted and cut the call.

* * *

Brendan reentered the house, his hands grabbing the navigator tensely.

May, once she noticed Brendan's presence, arched an eyebrow, "Well?"

"Well…Wally's coming. He should be here soon -"

Brendan's conversation was curtailed when his navigator began ringing.

"H-hang on a sec,"

Brendan took the call and placed the navigator to against his ear. Within seconds, his face grew pale.

"When did this happen?" Brendan asked as his hands began trembling. After getting his answer,

"I'll be there as soon as possible."

Brendan cut the call and collapsed onto the sofa. His face began perspiring tremendously as he buried his face into his hands.

"Brendan, what's wrong?" Brock asked immediately.

"It's my f-father…he was in Slateport d-during the invasion. He and h-his team of researchers are held as hostages by the Sinnoh invasion force…" Brendan began choking as tears began cascading down his face. The room immediately grew silent. _I have to go and rescue him._

"Brendan…I'm so sorry…do you know where they are held?" May asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know…Wallace called me right now. I need to go to Slateport. Wallace asked me to meet him in front of the city."

"Slateport…but Brendan…it's too dangerous. We just escaped from there. The city is pure carnage right now." Brock said.

"I've got no choice. I'm very sorry, guys, I know this is sudden, but I have to go. I think Wally will join me too."

As Brendan finished saying that, Wally walked into the room,

"Speak of the devil…"

"I will join you for what…?"

May, instantly jumped and rushed up to Wally, catching him in a tight embrace, "WALLY!"

Wally chuckled as he returned the hug, "It's good to see you again, May. It's been a while. Hey, Brendan…why do you look so ghastly? Well…you've always looked bad, but you look terrible now."

"Shut up and listen Wally. We don't have time for your wise cracks now." Brendan said as he got up and made his way towards Wally.

"Alright, fine , aren't you even happy to see me after so long? Come here and give me a hug"

"Wally…I just saw you last week. Listen, my father has been captured by Sinnoh. I need your help. You brought Altaria, right?"

Wally immediately grew silent as his eyes widened, "Yeah, dude."

"Just listen to me. We need to go to Slateport NOW."

"But…Brendan, I was just watching the news. Slateport's a mess. We cann-"

"WE HAVE TO. Listen…you are a member of the Elite Four and I am the Champion. Even though we don't have to fight for Hoenn militarily, this war has just gotten personal. We have to go there now."

"Alright, I'll come. Where do we have to go?"

"We need to meet Wallace at Route 110. It's just outside Slateport."

"Alright, let's go." Wally said as he took out his Altaria's pokeball.

May quickly stepped in, "Brendan, wait!"

"May, I have to go. You and your friends can stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can rescue my father."

"But that might take weeks!"

"Well…see you in a few weeks then. Tell my mom where I've gone. If she hears about this before I leave, she'll tie me up and lock me in a room so that I don't go."

Wally chuckled a little and gave May a hug. After doing so, he exited the building. Brendan copied his gesture and hugged May. After parting, Brendan waved at the rest of the group and ran out of the building, too.

May, forlorn, stared at the now-closed door, _Please be careful, Brendan. You've always been there for me when we were young…of course…now it's my turn!_

May dashed towards the door and threw it open.

"May, wait!" Ash yelled as he ran after her, the group on his tail.

Luckily, Brendan and Wally had yet to depart.

"Brendan, wait! I'll come too!"

Brendan, stunned by May's proposal, simply blinked, "Are you sure, May? It's pretty dangerous."

"You've always been there for me, Brendan. Now, it's my turn. Come on, it'll be just like the good old times…you, me and Wally."

Wally grinned and slapped Brendan on the back, "Yeah, B-Boy, come on, it'll be fun."

"What part of the maniacal, blood-thirsty, power-hungry Sinnoh hostage situation is fun?"

Wally simply shook his head, "Come on, May. It'll be fine. Altaria can carry the three of us."

May nodded, and ignoring Brendan's indignant retorts, climbed on top of Altaria.

"Alright, May. I guess we'll see you later." Ash said as he looked at her from the ground.

"I promise, Ash. I'll miss you guys. See you!" May yelled as Altaria took off, leaving behind a trail of dust.

"Oh yeah, and don't forget to tell my mom!" Brendan's ephemeral voice said.

Ash turned and looked at Brock, "I guess this is it. It'll be like old times, too. You, me and Dawn."

"Ah well, I guess we better go in and tell Mrs. Birch. I do not know what news she'll take worse – her husband getting kidnapped or her son going out to rescue her husband."

* * *

A well-build man, who reached nearly seven feet, stared at a TV screen. The television showed a massive group of people, all heavily armed, standing at attention. They all had a crimson "R" emblazoned on the front of their pitch black uniforms.

Beside the man, stood a petite girl about five and a half feet in height, "I thought owning a private militia was illegal."

"Domino, what part of Team Rocket has ever been legal?"

The girl smiled, "I guess you're right, Giovanni. Nevertheless, this is still pretty impressive."

"Yes, I agree. Butch and Cassidy have done a splendid job of gathering this army. At least now we can create a insurgence that might drive Galatic out of Hoenn."

"So I take it that you and Cyrus are not on speaking terms."

Giovanni snorted, "Cyrus was fine, Domino. This new leader…he's a complete idiot. He's demanding a massive monthly tribute from Team Rocket. If not, he threatens, when Sinnoh conquers Kanto, he'll disband us."

"So you have decided to help Hoenn?"

"Domino, think about this saying. _The enemy of my enemy is my friend._"

Domino shrugged, "I guess so."

* * *

Archer leaned back into the back of his chair, his hands behind his head.

"This leaves me in a very precarious scenario. I need to consult something."

Archer reached into his desk and opened a drawer. Inside it was a book that had several years' worth of dust accumulated over it. Archer reached for it.

"Sun Tzu's _Art of War._ It is said that anyone who fails to follow the guidelines is doomed to failure. Sinnoh's capture of Slateport has been carefully designed to abide by this book. That worries me."

He blew off the dust of the book and opened it.

"Several millenniums worth of wisdom is stored within these pages."

The phone on the desk began ringing,

"Archer speaking. State your business."

A woman appeared on the phone, "Commander, sir, Galactic supreme commander wishes to speak to you. He wants to discuss the state of Slateport and the Hoennite hostages."

Archer moved to the edge of his seat, "Link me to him."

The woman nodded and the screen went black. Soon, a man with fox-like eyes appeared on the screen, "Well, well, well. Archy. Always a pleasure."

"Don't flatter yourself. This is a parlay. Do not talk rubbish."

"Oh, Archer. I don't consider you my enemy, and you should not do so too. All I want is to negotiate the status of your hostages."

Archer massaged his throbbing temples, "What do you want?"

"I want the withdrawal of the remaining Hoenn troops from Slateport. The trouble your small and dislocated army gives us is too much. I don't want to send my prized boys out there. Just withdraw your troops and denounce any Slateport civilian resistance against Sinnoh, or the researchers will get it."

Archer gave a forlorn smile, "That's where you are wrong. Anthony might have told you about how my good-for-nothing general, Blake, surrendered. Trust me, idiot…I'm no Blake. I don't give a care about those researchers."

The figure in the screen leaned back into the chair, "Wow…you are cold."

Archer sighed inadvertently, "Trust me…Slateport will be re-conquered by Hoenn. Her cities cannot be taken by such a vile force."

The figure simply shook your head, "You might have won the battle against my forces near Lilycove, but I'm positive Hoenn will fall under Galatic's mighty power. After all, the unconquerable Sinnoh government did."

"We'll see, Drake. Just remember. YOU used to be one of Hoenn's Elite Four. Don't be a traitor."

Drake simply laughed, "hahaha, that was before that green-haired boy took my place among the Elites. I found solace in Cyrus and his preaching. After his demise, I vowed to bring Galatic to its fullest glory. Just see where it is now. I am the ultimate ruler. I'd be more of a traitor if I don't carry on Cyrus's legacy."

"Whatever, Drake. You are simply a backstabbing vile citizen of this planet."

Drake simply grinned, and tilted his head a bit, much to Archer's chagrin.

"You believe what you want, Archy. You remember this: you used to be my student."

* * *

"So, James, what is that thing on your panel?" Jessie asked as she peered over to James's control panel. The button that she had in sight was a red one with a skull printed on it.

"I'm not sure. Shall we press it?"

"Sure." Jessie reached over the pressed the pulsating button. The sirens inside the machine began blaring.

"Yeu dolts! Yeu pressed them "self-destruct" button!"

Jesse and James began hyperventilating, "WHAT? WHY THE HECK DID YOU INSTALL IT?"

"Wha…dun pin this 'ole rap on me! You teu were the ones who pressed it!" Meouth retaliated.

"This…is…gonna…hurt…"

White rays of light began emanating from the machine as, slowly, smoke began seeping from the cracks. Within seconds, the entire mecha exploded.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET IS BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"


End file.
